Tough Decisions and Moving On

I suppose if someone is going to find themselves in a dilemma, the best kind is having to chose between two situations where either is an improvement and both are paths that would be exciting to take.  As I mentioned when I first reopened the website, I was interviewing for a scholarship to cover graduate school.  What I did not mention was that I had also been applying for a promotion within my company.  I was kind of in denial about the possibility I could get the position, even though I am well qualified.  I was afraid it would look bad that I have only been in my current position since graduating in spring - Less than half a year.  And mostly I love my current position and the people I work with, even though I did want to leave room for my career aspirations to grow.  Like so many things in life, these two opportunities collided and I had to make a major life decision.

I guess I should be elated to receive both an offer for a graduate school assistantship and a new job within hours of each other.  It was very exciting to think that I could have a masters degree in two years, and since my dream is to own and manage land, Environmental Science just seemed too perfect.  I still hold onto the idea that we will buy land in the next 5-10 years, if only a few extra acres when we trade up to a larger home.  It would be great to be able to responsibly develop and restore it, while growing and raising organic, humane food...

But practicality won out, and having a family, I have to make the best decision for all of us.  And to be honest I was just as excited about starting a new direction with my career that would bring additional responsibility and opportunities.  I will be starting on November 16 as the Research Analyst for my institution.  I will still be dealing with data, analysis, and reporting but it will be almost the entire  scope of my job, and I will be working under the director at an institutional level and not within a department.  It is very exciting, but I am also sad to see a chapter of my life end.  My first job after college was enjoyable and I made many friends.  I hope I will continue to see them, and who knows... Maybe I will find another way to pay for grad school.  I still have it on my radar, but I am thinking a course or two at a time as I find a way to pay for it sounds much more sustainable than trying to balance a 20 hour a week assistantship with a full time job.

Here's to life's big decisions, and seeing where the future will take me!  Cheers!